Your metabolic rate measures the rate at which your particular body is using up energy. Basically, it is the calorie burn rate. It is the calories that are necessary for you to stay alive. The metabolic rate, however, does not remain constant. It varies and changes throughout the course of your day depending on levels of activity and variety of other factors.

Your basal metabolic rate, which is sometimes known as BMR, describes the rate at which your body uses energy, also measured in calories in a totally relaxed mode. It is usually measured in the morning after a comfortable night's rest when you are relaxed and even before breakfast. Other factors to consider before measuring basal metabolic rate include no food at least 4 hours prior to testing, no caffeine at least prior to testing, and no alcoholic intake for at least 12 hours prior to testing.

What can we do to increase our metabolism? I am sure many of you are aware that to keep your metabolism high is necessary if you are planning or intending to lose weight. There are things you can do to speed up your metabolism and help improve and speed up weight loss.

The following are effective ways to boost your metabolism at any age throughout life:

1) Make sure you do not inadvertently put yourself in a starvation mode of metabolism. If you do, correct the situation as soon as possible and the simplest way to do this is eat 6 meals per day, graze on food throughout the course of the day.
2) Avoid overeating because this stalls the efficient burning of fuel. Eat from 5 to 6 times throughout the course of a day, small meals preferably. Overeating, unfortunately, forces the body to store fat and by increasing your body fat percentage this slows down your metabolism.
3) Increase the muscle percentage in your body and decrease your body fat percentage. Basically, you need to exercise. Some form of exercise on a consistent basis will actually improve metabolic rate. The higher the muscle mass, the faster you are going to burn calories. As you increase your muscle mass, your metabolic rate increases. The great thing about increasing muscle mass through resistance exercise is that even while you are resting, your body is burning calories because of increased metabolic rate.
4) Do not severely limit your intake of proteins, fats, or carbohydrates. Eating a balanced diet is extremely important for good not only nutritional health but to keep your metabolism high.
5) Get your personal amount of sleep that you need. Not getting enough sleep ultimately results in a slower metabolism.
6) Another simple mechanism using the body and mind connection we know is positive talk to yourself about your metabolism and about your ideal body rate. Your thinking along the line of higher metabolism, often times can lead to a higher metabolism because it alters your actions and your activity levels.
7) Avoid continually running on adrenaline, excessive caffeine intake, or living in a chronically stressful state can also slow down your metabolism.
8) Breathe. Breathing deeply, getting plenty of oxygen in your body helps improve your metabolism. In order to burn calories, your body needs lots of oxygen, so proper breathing through proper breathing exercises and actually focusing on breathing can actually improve your metabolic rate. Diaphragmatic breathing is optimal.
9) As I said previously, do not skip meals. When you are hungry, eat. Again, grazing throughout the course of your day is ideal.
10) Avoid watching TV, playing video games, or just sitting around as a couch potato. This in itself will lower your metabolic rate due to inactivity and remember when you are resting or when you are sleeping, your metabolism is lowest point that it is throughout the course of your day.
11) Just as you only should eat while you are hungry, only sip on sweet-tasting liquids when you are hungry. Consider everything you put in your mouth with the exception of water to be food, so focus on the proper food, balanced food throughout the course of your day.
12) And lastly, drink plenty of water. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. Currently, science states that we should use the following formula for correct water intake. Take your body weight, divide it by 2, and that is the number of ounces we should consume on a daily basis.

In summary, we can certainly do quite a bit to improve our metabolism. Lifestyle change and consistent frequent exercise, all can improve metabolic rate.

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